A New friend A new Dr joins the ER
by bunjies
Summary: Audrey Parker is the latest doctor to join County general. Abby and Carter seem to be more attracted to each other. Many events happen liek usual in the County general's ER, including unexpected visits
1. The Car Crash

**Chapter one**

"Come in County General, this is Rescue 3 at the scene of a trauma, Mercedes against Civic. We got 2 MVA victim, 1major heading your way ETA 10 minutes"

Carter spins in his chair and grabs the speaker

"Positive Rescue 3, well be ready for you"

Carter looks around the ER, the sight isn't overly encouraging. Weaver is yelling, med students are looking lost and patients are complaining more than ever.

"Sigh, why do I even bother!"

Carter along with Abby and two other ER nurses stand outside waiting for the incoming

Ambulances. Abby stares at Carter and quickly looks away as carter turns around and looks back.

"What?" Carter wonders why Abby is like this, she has been staring at him this way all day.

"Nothing" There's a silent pause "Well not nothing, its just that you…"

Abby is interrupted as the ambulances rush in the entrance

"Abby you and Pratt take the first one – im taking care of the second"

Carter looks as Abby takes away the first victim, it seems he is in pretty bad shape. The EMS hands over the second victim to Carter, the victim seems unconscious, she is immobilized completely with neck brace and everything.

"What do we have?"

"Woman mid 30's, possible rib fractures, good clean breathing pulse at 110 found unconscious in her car"

"Alright we got it from here"

Carter pulls the victim into Trauma 2, Sam is there to assist him.

As Carter begins to examine the victim she wakes up

"Hi, im Dr. Carter your in the ER you were brought here after a car crash, you will be fine were just making sure you are not bleeding or have any traumas to your back."

The victim pauses a second, she sighs loudly and says quietly

"Yeh, I know the routine – Im a fourth-year emergency medicine resident in Montreal."

"Alright then I guess ill skip over the explanations!"

Carter and the woman exchange a small giggle

"Were sending you off to the scan, to check up on those ribs of yours"

As Carter begins to push the woman out Abby rushes into the room screaming

"CARTER WE NEED YOU NOW!"

Sam signals to Carter to join Abby and continues pushing the woman to the elevator.

Carter walks to Abby while whispering to himself 'I feel it, this day day is going to be hell'

He had no clue how right he was.


	2. Nice to meet you Dr Parker

**Chapter 2**

Carter rushes into Trauma 1 where Dubenko Abby and Pratt are working. The patient chest is now open and the medical team is trying everything possible.

Chuny warns the doctors that the heart has stopped beating

"I need internal shock panels STAT!"

Carter tries to resituate the patient, but it seems hopeless. In vain he pronounces the time of death.

"Time of death eleven forty-five"

"We can't save them all; did he have any family we could call?"

Frank walks into the trauma room "Carter, the police is here for the car accident victims"

Carter signs to Abby to follow him, they walk to the police officer who is standing near the admission in his uniform. He informs himself on both victims, he does not seem overly taken by the death of the man.

"George Kinestley, we've been after him a while, he his accused of several hit and runs, and the cars were always stolen. He always slipped out of our hands. He always stole SUV's, never got injured and ran away from scenes, I guess taking a regular car was his mistake this time."

Carter allows the officer into the trauma room where he can gather evidence to properly identify this criminal.

Abby and Carter are in the lounge, Carter is making coffee while Abby is lying on the couch to catch a few moments of rest on her endless twelve hour shift. Carter leans on the counter and becomes entranced into her, he stares at her contemplating how peaceful she looks. She opens her eyes, she sees him starring, she smiles;

"Now your staring, what are you thinking about?"

He snaps out of his bubble quite fast and begins blushing.

"Errr… yeh, making coffee. You know me without my coffee fix – I'm useless" He sees Abby is amused at him skipping around, he tries to put the spotlight back to her.

"So what did you want to say to me this morning?"

It's Abby's turn to blush Damn! I didn't think he'd remember!

"err, I meant to say you…"

Sam walks in, Abby quickly gets up, Carter rubs the back of his head and pour himself coffee, Sam nods confusingly.

"Carter, the X-ray for the car crash victim are back" He nods and follows her out.

The women sits in her bed when she sees Carter come in, her face slightly crimples in pain. She is not very tall, probably about five feet four inches, medium brown hair, she seems like a very average weight, her eyes are her best feature their a very dark green with subtle shots of brown.

"Dr Carter, We have not been formerly introduced."

Carter smiles and puts the X-rays on the light pad

"Dr. John Carter Chief Resident of the ER here at the county general"

"Dr Audrey Parker, Resident of the Centre urbain hospitalier de Montreal"

"Whoa – That's more French than I can understand" He laughs.

"So, I hope you have good news for me Dr Carter"

"I do, you only have one cracked rib, the rest is just bruises, ill prescribe something for the pain. So you're a resident too? I guess you have your share of stories eh?"

Audrey nods, and Carter and her start sharing stories about the ER, the med students, their beginnings all sort of stuff. Carter needed this escape of the routine, he and her had many of the same experiences, like in her beginnings she was shot by an psychotic patient, and had to relearn how to walk. Their conversation was going well until it was violently interrupted by a very vicious stroke of lightning. Neither of them had hard one quite that vicious, it shooked the ground and was followed by a gigantic 'boom' sound. A few milliseconds after the last 'boom' the lights at County simultaneously turned off.

Audrey says quietly to Carter

"Oh this can NOT be good."

He nodded.


	3. Ready for anarchy

**Chapter 3**

The lights quickly turn back on, it seems it was only a light flash of darkness. Carter looks out to the admission office to see most of the ER staff crowded around the small television, he signs one minute to Audrey and walks out to the crowd.

On the TV we hear a news anchor and we see helicopter images of total chaos.

"We only have a few images of this unbelievable scene that happened only a few minutes ago. It seems lighting struck an advertisement panel and knocked it down unto the main Chicago highway. A major car pile up immediately followed, it seems the authorities are starting to arrive on sight…"

We hear in distance front he Tv

"County General this is Rescue 3, on the scene of a major trauma. How much can you take?"

Carter takes the handset to respond while still looking into the television set in total disbelief

"Rescue 3 this is county we can take 3 majors, 10 minors over."

"Negative County, Mercy is out of electricity all victims heading you way"

"10-4 Rescue 3 we will deploy for disaster. County out."

Carter turns to the staff that is all waiting for orders to be given out

"Alright, I want you to take out the disaster boxes and get ready for total chaos, and where the HELL IS KOVAC!"

Sam immediately offers to go and call him.

Carter starts directing orders making teams, he teamed himself with Abby. He starts ordering the ER getting ready for the worse.

Carter turns and sees Audrey standing by  
"You will be able to leave, I dismissed you"  
" I know -- but i though you needed help." She shows him her license  
"Yeh, definitely, you'll be assisting me."  
Abby turns around

"I though I was with you John!"

"Well now you will be with Kovac who is walking in right now, late as always, start by cluing him in"

Abby walks away and goes to Luka, she can't believe John was so rude. But she couldn't stay very mad at him; he looked so good there giving orders, taking charge.

The County ER staff is now ready for anarchy; they stand in the ambulance area waiting.

From a distance we hear sirens approaching. The waiting seems to pass in slow motion; everyone is quiet, seemingly awaiting the worse.


	4. Too young to die

**Chapter Four**

Major traumas were brought in first, each team of doctors and nurses waited their turn to take patients from the several incoming ambulances, Carter and Audrey took charge the first ambulance that arrived at the dock. Audrey had changed from hospital gown to the regular green ER scrubs, she seemed a bit nervous but none to less confident. A young girl was pulled out of the ambulance, she was intubated and seemed in a rather pitiful shape. They pulled the girl into the ER as the rest of the staff received many other patients.

"What do we have!"

"12 yr old girl, found unconscious and intubated on site, multiple concussions, possible head trauma and pneumotorax. Pulse is weak."

"We got it"

The girl was in bad shape indeed, she was in the car that had receive part of the sign, her parents were DOA. She had a chance but they had to get her to the OR pretty swiftly.

Carter begins the procedures

"I want a CBC and ACG chest xray and a bag of O neg, we need to perform a lumbar puncture, she definitely has a pneumothorax"

"I'm on it, you try to find where else she's bleeding"

Audrey performs the pneumothorax we can see she's experienced and has done several of these before hand.

"Thorax is cleared, but she is still losing a lot of blood, Dr Carter find anything?"

"It has to be the liver, but there's no entry points" Audrey looks at the chest shot

"It must be glass, its very small, very sharp and invisible on XRAY" She points to a small red scar on the young girl's belly

She uses a scalpel to perform a small incision near the liver, she was right, glass was introduced in the liver.

"Good Catch, now lets make it so she makes it to the OR"

"Oh she'll make it" Just as she finishes preparing the girl Dubenko walks in and takes away the girl.

"Good work Dr Parker."

They continue treating patients, the cases are getting less and less severe and there is now possible hope for an end to all this madness. The ER still looks as chaotic though, but everyone has been diagnosed and given quick but proper treatment. Another day in the ER accomplished. Audrey is sitting in the lounge rubbing her ribs, she's obviously in serious pain. Carter comes in and throws her a bottle of pain killers he had prescribed for her earlier on.

"You did great today, we can not pay you but I can offer you some diner considering no one in this ER has eaten lunch or supper."

Audrey is about to answer when Ray walks in, he quickly throws his white coat into his lockers, grabs his guitar.

"Good Night Dr Carter, I updated Susan on all my patients and im late for my gig with my band" he runs out. Audrey is entranced by him, he looks so young, he looks nothing like a doctor.

"So Audrey Dinner?"

"Err, You sure Abby wont mind?"

"Abby?"Carter is surprised "why would she mind?"

"Arent you guys … involved?"

"No! Were not… well we were but … we… hmm"

"Oh err… Yeh dinner. I'm starving."

They both leave together, Audrey wonders what happened with Carter and Abby, they seemed so close, and she could feel things like that.

(TBC --Comments Welcomed.)


	5. Dinner at Doc Magoos

**Chapter Five**

Audrey and Carter were sitting in a booth at the Doc Magoos, they have already ordered and are eating while they share their similar experiences as medical residents. Carter explains how Doc Magoos is the usual spot for County's staff, how much happened in this restaurant.

"So what are you doing in Chicago Audrey?"

"It's a funny story actually, I was in for a job interview, at a hospital called 'County General'"

"What!"

"I have been wanting to work in area for quite a while, and last week I noticed you guys were looking for another attending, so I called a Doctor .. Waver?"

"Yeh Kerry Weaver"

"That's it, she told me to come in for an interview, its suppose to be tomorrow but I decided to come in early to come see my family over here and I ran into an unruly driver, I think you know the rest of the story"

"Whoa that unbelievable! I guess you had the ultimate job interview! Did you see Kerry today?"

"Humm"

"Short, bossy, walks with a crutch"

"Yes, I crossed her in the hallway, she didn't seem too sure who I was but I don't think she had time to care, I have to meet her tomorrow at 8am."

"Well good luck with your interview, but you deserve it, you did great today!"

"Thanks" She blushes slightly

The dinner continues, Carter tells the story of when he got stabbed, how Lucy died and how he go addicted to pain killers. She then shares with him how there was a shootout in her hospital about a gangster who was treated and how she was taken hostage, and how she was shot near the spinal chord. A nurse was also shot to death after being taken hostage, she never got addicted to pain killers, but had to take a year off to learn how to walk again. The experience seemed so similar; they both shared their fears and the shared fright of losing someone they shared a friendship with. The two seemed like two friends, they seemed to have been friends for ever, not love though, but that amazing friendship that is valued. They had been talking for a few hours when Carter asked about he had noticed how Audrey was looking at Ray.

"You liked Dr Barnett Didn't you?" Audrey looks back at him puzzled.

"The guy who left in a hurry with his guitar"

"Oh yes, he seemed to … young, Ive never seen a doctor with a guitar, im used to the gray hair serious face goes home to his wife" Carter giggles slighty.

"Thats interesting! Dr Barnett is something special, he is in his first year"

Audrey nods and she just can not help herself but to ask Carter about Abby. She wants to know what happened between the two, and whether he still has something left for her although it is obvious he does. Carter answer her,

"Yeh, it ended because life was too complicated, but I do still have feelings for Abby she is a great person but Im sure she has moved on."

Audrey does not want to ask further questions about the situation, Carter seems uncomfortable talking about it and she doesn't want to bother him. She looks at her watch to realize that it way pass 4am,

"Alright – Im going to call it a night, I have an interview tomorrow for a job and according to my sources the boss is quite strict on punctuality" She winks at Carter.

"Good idea, Im gonna drive you to you hotel."

Carter drives Audrey to the hotel, she waves goodbye to him and assures him she will pass by the ER after her interview to update him on what happened.

TBC Comments Welcomed!


	6. Nostalgia

**Chapter Six **

Carter approaches the ER, he stands a few feet away from the door way awaiting the very last second before he has to step inside. He's looking at the hospital entrance, that big door inscribed Emergency where many come to get care in their weakest moments. Those same doors he must have walked in a billion times. An ambulance passes him he watches the EMS rush in the patient. That hospital, that house of life and death is his job, he lost Lucy there, he also nearly lost himself there. He was raised from shy clumsy student to confident ER attending there with the help of great friends and colleagues like Peter Benton and Mark Greene. He looks at the basketball hoop and remembers how he learned that Mark only solution to his tumor was death, and how he left telling him to 'set the tone'. There are so many memories, and although some are painful some are amazing moments that change a person's outlook on life. He imagines how many hands opened those doors, patients, EMS', many were staff members who either passed or moved on elsewhere. He remembers moments he spent with pass loves, like Abby, small moments that he certainly misses. Each and every spot of that lot had a memory, the first time of this, the last of that. He did not want to go into those doors once more, he just wanted to take a few more minutes to take it all in and recall the past. He knew he also had to go in and continue with that young twelve year old he had treated with Audrey, he knew he had to announce to her the death of the parents, and had to deal with social services who had to place this now orphan. This was such a sad case, he had seen many through the years but it seemed like today he just didn't feel like going to it. He stood there again awaiting the very last second of the very last minute before he had to go. He stares blanklessly at the doors and is taken out of his tough bubbles when he sees Dr Parker run by, by the time he opens his mouth to wish her good luck she's already passed. Before Carter can get back into his bubble Dr Lockhart also runs by and once again John has no time to say a word and she's already passed. It seems everyone is rushed except him, like he lived in an alternate reality pursued in slow motion. He sighs and begins to walk towards the doors to once more push them open and face a room of the injured.

(tbc -- Comments Welcomed)  



	7. The Interview

**Chapter Seven – The Interview**

Audrey sits nervously near the entrance of Kerry Weaver's office. She is quite nervous but at the same time she can't help but to think of yesterday, of how she seemed to fit right in into the staff how nice the two other attending she met seemed. She also had her mind on the young doctor who seemed too young, she was somehow fascinated by him, and there was Dr Carter of course who she tough was amazing, he was everything she looked for in a friend, too bad he seemed to had a leftover of love for Abby. Kerry calls Audrey into the office; Audrey gets up looks around the room at the other doctors who seem to also be here for the same reason and walks to the door. Kerry asks various questions on Audrey background, her schooling at McGill, her experience, her thesis, she is very nice but she seems also quite tough.

"You have been offered attending at the CHUM I see, so why are you risking applying somewhere else when you already hold a steady position?"

"I have family here, my niece who I raised nearly as my little sister has been living here and since the passing of my parents she's the closest family member I have. I wanted to come closer to her…"

Kerry smiles slightly, its sweet how this young doctor is taking care of her family. She continues asking questions as she skims through Audrey's professional records. She pulls out a small pink slip of paper and begins reading it carefully, on the slip we can see a cross logo inscribed CGH.

"So, you were our mystery doctor yesterday…"She doesn't have the time to finish her sentence as Audrey interrupts nervously

"I arrived as a patient as your ER yesterday, and when I saw what was going on I offered my help to Dr John Carter" She Pauses " I was under his supervision the entire time and I…" Its Kerry's turn to interrupt. Audrey seems more nervous than at the beginning, she's afraid that Kerry will get mad and tell her it was against policy and she'd get in trouble.

"Don't worry, what you did was fine, it was a little risky since you were not under hospital insurance but your glad was quite beneficial if I take it from the comments I got from Dr Kovac and Dr Carter. I also heard what you did for a young girl, and I was impressed." Audrey is so surprised, she was expecting to have to defend herself.

"Humm, Thank you… Its something I see quite a lot in Montreal, people seem to enjoy breaking window with body parts" They both giggle slightly.

Kerry pauses for a second, she makes sure she has gone through everything.

"Thank you for your time Dr Parker. I have many candidates, and although none have proved themselves like you have, many have more experience than you. I will take up to a month to make my decision and get back to you as soon as I do."

Audrey thanks Kerry and leaves. She seems disappointed, and sad, she was sure she would get the position but for now it is clear to her she doesn't have enough experience. She walks out of the hospital hoping not to run into John. As she's almost out the door she hears her name. Damn I was almost out the door she mumbles to herself.

"So! How did it go!"

"Hmm I'm not sure, I wont have an answer for a while, but I better go now. I got a plane to catch"

"What? You were supposed to stay until next week! Stay, we'll order pizza and you can meet the ER staff, even that young doctor from yesterday"He winks to her

"No thanks. I really have to go home. I have to get back home before It's too late to accept the attending position in Montreal" Before Carter can reply she's out the ER door.

(Tbc -- Please Comment)


	8. Filling the Void

The ER felt particularly gloomy on the day, the weather was cold and rainy. It was one of those days where there was an atmosphere where you just couldn't help but feel low and depressed, the kind of day where everyone is absorb into their own thoughts. The ER was quite slow a few patients here and there, a homeless man faking illness to have shelter for the night, a woman who though she was a cat, just the same old. Carter sits at the admin desk deep into thought, Audrey made him realized that he felt empty inside somehow, he wonders if Abby could fill that void. Audrey had left for Montreal for about two weeks now but Carter was still thinking of what she said on not letting love pass you by. As Carter thinks of her she walks into the admin office to grab some charts to fill out to pass the hours, she sees that John looks somewhat upset and particularly thoughtful. 

"You okay John?"

He knows the answer is no, he knows that today he feels empty, that he wishes he could express what he wants to to Abby but he also knows that she will probably reject him. He stares at her while he nods to her question.

"Yah, I just hadn't had my coffee yet…"

Abby obviously sees in him that he is not in fact okay, she wishes he'd open up.

"Im heading to the lounge ill get you some"

Carter mumbles a 'thanks' and watches as Abby heads off. He thinks to himself, _'I don't want coffee I want you.'_.

The rest of the day seemed uneventful. One trauma came in a car had slipped on the wet roads, the driver and his child survived. Kerry had a attending meetings, it was all the same boring jumble about productivity lawsuits and the rest. Night time was approaching when Jerry called out to carter about a phone call, Carter picked up to find Audrey on the line.

"Hey Dr Carter, Its Audrey Parker, I was wondering if Kerry had hired anyone for that attending position"

"Hum no, not that I know of, and nothing was mentioned at the meeting"

"You okay, you sound upset. Wait you didn't tell her yet have you."

"I … meant…"

"Go John, One day you will wake up alone and you'll realized you have lost it all." There's a pause Carter hears someone talking in the background, probably a nurse saying something about a car accident, it's all French and spoken fast so he doesn't understand all of it.

"I have to go. And you should go too."

She hangs up the phone, Carter wait for a second hangs up the phone and sits back down in the admin desk. He watches Abby drop all the files on the admin desk and put on a coat.

"Want to go out for dinner?" She asks

"No thanks."

She begins to leave. He can not believe he just let her leave like that. Another opportunity missed and this might have been the last one. He pauses for a second and begins to run towards the door, outside a wall of pouring rain immediately soaks his green scrubs as he screams Abby's name. She's a few feet away she turns around and pauses.

"Abby I …"

They both stare into each other's eyes and before Carter is able to finish his sentence Abby kiss him passionately

"… Love you"


	9. Need a Pediatrician

**Chapter Nine – Need a Pediatrician**

It had been two weeks now since that kiss between Abby and Carter, they were trying to actively see each other, this of course while trying to hide it from the nurse, a mission that was in fact impossible.

Carter walked into the ER, it seemed pretty normal, except he sees no attendings standing around the admin desk and the nurses seem to be talking more than usual. Carter gets nervous; it's never good when the nurses are talking. Kerry walks out of the nurse caucus and signs to Carter to follow him. Carter starts mumbling to himself.

'She doesn't know, I mean how would she…' Malick smiles at him with a slight hint of a giggle. 'Oh I'm in trouble' Carter walks towards Kerry awaiting the worse.

"Hey Kerry…" he is interrupted almost immediately by her.

"You late John, we have been awaiting you for the past thirty minutes."

"I though I started at 7!"

"The attending meeting at 6:30 Dr Carter, did you forget?" he is so relieved this has nothing to do with Abby.

"Ah – I totally …" He's interrupted again.

"John I can understand if your mind is somewhere else these days and where ever it is please get it back here so that it stops affecting your work, I would not like to have to make this into an issue."

"Got it. What was that meeting about again?"

Kerry Sighs very loudly and continues walking towards the conference room, Carter follows her. He tries to remember what was the meeting was about, he remembers Luka telling him about it, and knows he wanted to be there, that it was important but he just can not remember what it was.Weaver pushes the doors open, and like she wanted to humiliate Carter exclaims

"Look who decided to join us" Carter blushes slightly and sits down. Susan Lewis is standing in the front, she talks about how for a while now the hospital has been looking into finding another attending for the ER. Just then and there Carter woke up, this was it this is why he wanted to be here, today was the day he learned if Audrey got the job. Susan continues talking about what she expects of the new attending

"… Also I hope to reinstate something that was first initiated by Dr. Doug Ross a pediatrics department of the ER, a place for children to feel comfortable. It took a while before we found a doctor that could fill the place of ER peds attending, but we found someone…"

Carter can not help but get discouraged at this point, it can not be Audrey, she was not in peds, he is sadden by these news and hopes the new attending won't be too much of a pain. Dr Lewis continues

"… So anyways after long research, I think we found quite the pearl." She begins walking towards the doors and as she opens them she presents the new attending

"I would like to present everyone with our new ER Pediatric Attending, Dr. Audrey Parker" Carter turns around, he can not believe it, she's a peds and she got the job.

Audrey walks into the room she is dressed up, she thanks Susan and walks towards the front. Kerry invites Audrey to present herself.

"Hello, I was at the end of my residency in Montreal in Canada when I saw the position here and I though it was a great opportunity to pursue the branch I truly wanted ER pediatrics, I love working with children but I just can not seem to leave the ER. I hope to meet you all further and I'm hoping we will work well together, although I already had the chance to meet and work with some of you." She winks to carter and he smiles back at her. Kerry gets up,

"As you all realized we will now reopen the peds ward in the ER, one of exam rooms will be transformed and Audrey will be in charge. But for now everyone back to work, Audrey you spend the day with me. Ill show you around"

While the staff leaves Audrey finishes thanking Susan and leaves with Kerry.


	10. Dark Curls

**Chapter Ten – Dark curls**

Audrey sat down for a minute on a bed, she sat to take in a breath, to admire the work of the past month. She had been working hard at trying to coordinate the renovations of her room, of what would become the children ward of the ER. A room where children could feel a little less scared, a small bit of a friendly environment. She had been working on it for what seemed forever, the rooms were covered in a soothing light blue colors and had puffy white clouds on them, the room had colorful furniture instead of the plain white cabinets and a few animal plushies laid around the space. The official inauguration was a day away and Audrey felt slightly nervous about it, she hoped she would be able to run a department, that she would be up to being an attending in a whole new hospital. At the same time though, she could not wait to finally be able to begin practicing medicine because although she took over a few cases she had almost only done design and management work in the past few weeks. She sighs satisfactorily before exiting the room, as she pushes the doors open she finds Kerry Weaver who was about to come in and also notices the nurses are crowded around the admin desk.

"Dr Parker I would like you to meet someone, he will accompany you for your first week just to get you started and in case you have any fears…"

Audrey is intrigued by whom Dr Weaver had invited, but even more by what the nurses were crowding over. When all the nurses gather like that its either an extremely important matters or really juicy gossip. She begins walking towards them when she sees a young girl, maybe 7 or 8 years old come out of the clump. She is beautiful, dark curly hair a light skin color. A few seconds later another girl of the same age comes out of the crowd to begin running after the first one, they look exactly the same. Two beautiful young girls with those amazing dark curls. As Audrey approaches the desk to see what's going on, she hears Luka.

"Audrey can you take a fracture on a 4 year old in 2?" She nods and walks away.


	11. Old friend, New mentor

**Chapter Eleven – Old friend, New mentor. **

"KATE! TESS! Come back here now!" We hear a masculine voice scream these words over the crowd of chattering nurses and doctors. He seems slightly annoyed. The voice is immediately followed by a calm mothering tone

"Girls come here you don't want to get hurt" The girls begin walking back to the crowd pouting. Carter comes to the admin desk to drop off a chart and stretches over the crew to see what is going on

"CAROL! Dr Ross! What are you doing here! Wait, are you Kerry's special guest?"

Doug grins slightly

"You sure have changed Carter. How about Kerry is she still the red hot limping devil?"

"Sure am. Welcome Back Doug. Carol."

Kerry continues to approach the guests while Doug blushed, once again, like old times, he had been busted insulting Kerry, but this time it was more friendly than anything. Kerry approaching the two young girls sitting by, "This must be Kate and Tess, they have grown quite a lot. Dad's face, mommy hair, beautiful girls!" Doug grins and rubs his neck.

Audrey begins walking back again to the desk she finishes signing her chart as Kerry drags Doug away from the chatter to make him fill his purpose, to help Audrey start out.

"Carol, I'm sure you and your nursing crew have a lot to catch up on so I will take Doug away, make him work." Carol nods, holding in a laugh, she turns back to the nurses.

"Give me the juice girls!" Haleh approaches Carol, gives Carter a look and says

"Carter And Abby."

Carter rolls his eyes, how did he expect that he would keep it away from the nurses. It's an impossible mission, he walks off to another patient, not wanting to hear everything they knew. Meanwhile Kerry is presenting Doug and Audrey.

"Doug will be here for the next 2 weeks, he'll help you out a little bit until we can find someone else in permanence, he will be under my supervision" Doug seems a little resistant to being under the supervision of anyone, but he knows he's doing it for a good cause, for kids. Kerry is about to leave the two alone but she wants to make one last point clear.

"Oh and Audrey, do NOT learn attitude from him" She smiles and walks off. Doug seems even more annoyed now. Audrey laughs and points him to new ER peds department. Just as Audrey is about to enter and follow him in, Ray walks in to his shift, she stares at him, she's still fascinated by him but she had never really got the chance to talk to him outside work. She's so concentrated into Ray that she hits her head up against the door on her in. Doug giggles,

"Yeh been there." Audrey blushes.


	12. Advice from a Pro

**Chapter 12 – Advice from a Pro **

"Alright give me the bullet"

"6 yr old female MVA victim, open tibfib fracture, pulse is weak and tready, good breath sounds. Chest is bruised, she's conscious but unresponsive. Parents were also in the car accident, nothing serious, they are on their way with unit 43."

"Alright we got it from here, Doug care to join me?" Audrey takes the victim to trauma one.

"What's your name honey?" The girl answers weakly

"Mabel"

She begins taking care of the young girl, no apparent head injuries, the lavage is negative; no blood in the abdomen although her ribs seem pretty smashed, a chest film is ordered before the girl is sent off to the OR for her fractured leg. On her way out to the OR Audrey and Doug cross paths with the parents, they approach Audrey as she is pushing the gurney and Doug is only following behind

"Excuse me Doctor what's happening with our daughter?" Doug notices that Audrey seems a little down these days and decides to step up to the parents, he signs to her to continue taking the young girl to the elevator.

"Hi I'm Dr Ross, Mabel has a broken leg and maybe some broken ribs, were sending her for x-rays and then she will need surgery to fix the bone in her leg. Surgery has a waiting room I suggest you go up there, ill take you up."

"Thank you Doctor" They leave towards the elevator.

Doug is up in the waiting room with the girls parents, they are not really speaking but Doug wanted to stay with them in case they had questions and he also wanted to know how the girl was doing, he was always very cautious of his patients. Audrey walks out towards the waiting room in surgical scrubs

"Mabel has some sprained ribs, no fractures, Dr Dubenko an excellent surgeon here worked on her leg and the surgery went great, and she'll be back to her old self in no time." The parents reassured hug each other, thank the Dr Ross and follow Dr Parker to the recovery room.

Doug waits still in the waiting room, when Audrey returns.

"Dr Ross? Still here?"

"Yeh, well I think that you don't need my help anymore. Exept for one thing."

"Which is?" The begin to walk back to the ER where they sit in the empty Doctor's lounge.

"You told me that you convinced carter to reach for his dreams in terms of Abby so why don't your go for yours?" Audrey stares back silently.

"Trust me I know relationships, I had every kind but for me that perfect person was Carol, for Carter its Abby and things like that you know…"Audrey interrupts him

"Yeh, well how will I know?"

"You just will, give it a try and if Ray is the one you'll know."

Doug walks out where Carol is waiting for him they kiss and walk off, Audrey lays back in the couch in deep taught.


	13. Things happen for a reason

**Chapter 13 – Things happen for a reason.**

At the admin desk the nurses are sadly waving their last goodbyes to the special guests sneaking a last hug, or a last kiss on the cheek, everyone exchanges well wishes, emails, numbers and promises for a near visit. Doug picks up Tess in his arms and takes Carol, who is holding Kate's hand, by the waste, they wave for the last time and they walk off. Audrey stood there and watched the couple walk away, she couldn't stop thinking of what Doug had told her, she couldn't believe she got Carter into taking her advice but she couldn't get herself to take it, although it sorta had been the story of her life. She leans on the admin desk deep inside her bubble, she watches as Ray finishes off his shift, she cannot help but gets shivers when he passes near her.

"DR PARKER!" She is snapped out so brutally by frank voice that she cannot help but snap back at him with her French accent, which was more apparent whe she got mad.

"WHAT IS IT FRANK! What is so goddamn important!"

"Phone for you. It's Catherine your niece, she says it's important. Something about your apartment…" She walks to the phone, feeling slightly embarrassed by her sudden burst of useless anger, but she figures Frank has seen worse through the years. She talks on the phone for a few minutes, her face seems to show more and more discouragement. She finally hangs up and just let's her head collapse on the desk.

"Everything okay Audrey?" Ah the voice of John Carter, for some reason the last one she'd want to hear right now. Dr Carter who had all the funds necessary, who probably never had to hear from his niece or any family member that his apartment building had been shut down for a few days for a plumbing problem, and the John Carter that had the perfect relationship, based on Audrey's pushy advice, with the perfect girl. Audrey liked John very much, they were great friends, but now was a slim moment where she was annoyed by anyone slightly fortunate or happy. She mumbles back to him

"Ill live. Apartment building's shut down for a few days, Catherine is gonna stay with her friend and I'll just sleep in the lounge or…" Neela interrupts her

"You can stay with me if you'd like, nothing fancy but my couch is better than the one in the lounge"

It wasn't very typical for Audrey to accept offers like this one but Neela was right it was better than the lounge. Audrey got to know Neela a bit through the late shifts conversations in the lounge along with Abby, but had no clue about her living with Ray. Audrey was mad about her apartment but tried to take it lightly by whispering to herself that things do happen for a reason, this might be her chance of knowing Neela better, maybe they'd become good friends, you never knew.


	14. Faith Answers

**Chapter Fourteen – Faith Answers **

Although her apartment was closed, Audrey was allowed to walk in and pick up a few things, mainly a tooth brush, some clothes and her guitar, she was not very good but it always helped her calm down. She took a deep breath before unlocking the door to the apartment; Neela had left her a spare key since she had to work a double shift at the hospital. Audrey sat on the couch and began scratching the chords of her guitar; she played Time of your life an old Green Day classic. She began mumbling the words to the tune, "It's something unpredictable but in the end that's right…"

"Your pretty good…" Audrey jumps about a mile high, here she though she was alone but suddenly there's a voice behind her, she turns around and sees Ray is standing behind the couch in boxers and a t-shirt. She immediately turns bright red; she can't believe Ray Barnett heard her pathetic guitar skills. She's lacking words to say, she's frozen.

"Eehh… What are you doing here?"

" I live here" Of course what a stupid question to ask she thinks to herself

"I'm sorry if I woke you, I just though… well Neela said …she gave me a key and I…"

"Whoa stop freakin out. I was up, and Neela doesn't need to warn me after the amount of my friends who crash here. Although none of my friends qualify as my boss…" Audrey is obviously at a loss for words. Ray walks up next to her.

"Whoa Nice guit, how long have you been playing?"

"Got it when I graduated out of med school, so that's about three years of practice between ER shifts – meaning very little..."

"Play something."

"I would rather not, cause if you live up to your reputation, I am not even to your ankle."

"Common Doctor, it's not brain surgery, if you want I'll even get my guitar and we'll play together."

It takes a second for him to convince her but she gives in, she can't say no to him. He leaves into his room and comes back out wearing jeans and the same white t-shirt, he is holding his guitar has he sits down next to were Audrey is sitting. They begin playing together, Ray is trying to teach her a few tricks, he gets closer to her and begins holding her hands to help her get the notes right. His hands are so smooth, he feels so warm with his arm wrapped around her reaching out for the guitar. She turns around to watch his face, she can see the passion for the music in his eyes, he stops playing and begins staring back at her. He puts the guitar on the side and pushes her bangs out of her face. Audrey did not know it, but Ray had noticed her as well since she came into the ER, he never figured it was possible him being an intern and her being on her way to being an attending, but tonight he didn't seem to care, seeing someone else's love for music like that. He slowly approached his face near hers, they began with a small kiss, quickly followed by a longer more loving kiss, which might have lasted forever if Neela wouldn't have walked in. Ray quickly got up and picked up his guitar.

"Alright so if you need more lesson I charge by the hour… Hey Neela, I'm off to bed my shift starts in..."he looks at his watch "…5 hours." Neela nods and turns to Audrey

"Guitar lessons eh? That sounds cool. Didn't know you played…"Audrey nods silently "Alright I'm off too I'm dead tired. Couch comfy enough" Audrey nods again. She cannot believe what just happened. She turns off the light, ready to fall asleep with only one thing on her mind. Ray also lies in bed thinking just about the same as Audrey, what would have happened if Neela wouldn't have walked in.


	15. You will know

**Chapter fifteen – You will know. **

It had been about a week since that infamous night with Audrey and Ray. She hadn't seen him since, he had left the next morning with his band for some trip somewhere, she was iffy on the details. She sat at the admin desk rocking on the small chair day dreaming about that night, she knew it wasn't right, that she shouldn't date an intern but she couldn't resist him, he made her feel at peace with the chaos of the world. She watched John and Abby walk in casually from their vacation out in the tropics, John had taken Abby for a week cruise down to the sunny beaches of California. They were such the perfect couple, they seemed so blissful together.

"AUDREY! We had a WONDERFUL time! We have so many pictures to show you." Carter pulls out a few shots of him and Abby, they all seem the same, them two kissing on the beach, kissing on the boat, kissing in the restaurant. Abby mostly wears a flowery bikini top with a wrap around skirt, Carter mostly wears his opened Hawaiian shirt over his black swim shorts. She is happy for them, just a little sad herself.

"That's great John. Seems wonderful"

"You okay!"

"I don't know, you and Abby it seems so easy. I'm glad for you two, but at the same time I can not help but be jealous because I mean I just can't go ahead and decide for Ray. How do I know! For you it seemed so obvious!"

"Aud, Remember how un-easy it was for you to convince me to ask out Abby. I know because when I look into her eyes I know I want to look into those same eyes ten years from now and when I'm old and sick and I'm the one lying on the gurney I want her to hold my hand and kiss me tenderly…"

Audrey smiles delicately and grabs a chart . She understood him, she didn't really want to answer though

"Well I'm off to 'treat and street'" Carter nods and also grabs a vacant chart

A few hours of 'treat and street' pass, Parker is back at the admin desk in her own little piece of world rocking again on the small chairs.

"Dr Parker, can I see you in private?"

She lifts her eyes to see a seemingly very tired Ray Barnett stare back at her seriously, she so absorbed by staring into his face than she loses balance on her chair and falls back.

He runs to her to make sure she is okay; she's perfectly fine except for the bruised ego.

She points him off to the small office which was assigned to her. She locks the door as they enter. She is anxious and very nervous about what Ray is about to say, she expects a whole romantic scene where he declares his love to her.

"I wanted to ask you if I could become like a peds/ER resident next year, if I could be under your 'service'" Audrey didn't know how to feel, here she is expecting to be taken away in a wave of romance and he asks for a rotation!

"Errr. Sure. Yeh."

She passes him a few forms for him to fill out, he takes them grabbing her hand partly accidentally, he doesn't let go. They gaze at each other, their faces gradually advance followed by a deep passionate kiss. At that moment Audrey pulls back looks into the eyes of the man in front of her and thinks _'this is the eyes I want to look into in thirty years and the hands I want holding mine when I am sick…' _

Ray mumbles something, barely audibly. She doesn't know much of what he said but she heard the word 'love' and by the glitter in his eyes she knows its good. She walks over to him to embrace him and kiss him another time.


	16. Patience is a virtue

**Chapter sixteen – Patience is a virtue **

Abby walks into the ER, she seems like she isn't a force to wreck with today. She slams charts on the admin desk, she then mumbles off into the staff lounge where she loudly slams the door of her locker shut after changing. It's has become obvious to Susan who was standing by that she was not having a very good morning, and as an attending she had to make sure everything was all right.

"What's wrong Abby?" she asked as softly as she could as to not to upset Abby further.

"Nothing. I'm FINE. Where's Carter!" Susan shrugged and let Abby walk off, it was clear that she didn't want to talk.

In fact, Abby was quite mad at John, after he promised to pick her up this morning he never showed up, instead a taxi showed up and cost her a fortune. That is of course after Mr Carter never came home the night before, he was not at the hospital and she had no clue where he spent the night. Now what really made her flip was that today was their one year anniversary, and he didn't seem to care. There he was standing at admit like nothing was happening, she stared him down like there was no tomorrow. She approached him, trying to keep her calm in front of him.

"John, what time do you get off? Maybe we could grab dinner, we do need to talk…"

"Sorry Ab, I took Susan's shift tonight to help her out maybe tomorrow" Abby was fuming inside, she once again slammed charts on the desk and walked off. Meanwhile, Jerry was trying not to laugh at the situation, and as soon as Abby was out of hearing range Carter and him both burst into laughter. John had planned all this, he wanted to surprise her, to show her that she could trust him she just needed to be patient.

The time passed, pretty good day for the emergency room physicians only one death, a DOA off a shout out in the street. Abby hastily walked off to the door, she yelled something like

"Tell Carter I'm gone." to frank, she was so frustrated she did not even want to see his face, she couldn't believe he OFFERED to pull a double on their anniversary. She walked out the sliding doors to find a young boy holding a rose, the young boy asked her name and as she replied he handed the rose to her along with a note.

_'Go inside the ambulance of unit 34' _She looked around to see a parked ambulance she wasn't sure what to expect but she opened the doors inside was a beautiful black dress, with a silver diamond neck lass. The dress had a note _'Put it on and walk out to the front of the ambulance'_ Abby, knowing this was probably the work of John Carter, was beginning to feel silly about being mad a him all day. She walked to the front, where a long white limousine awaited her. As she approached the door, John pulled out and kissed her hand, he was wearing a very fancy tuxedo suit.

"Abby, I love you. And before I take you out on the most magical evening of your life, I want to know something." He then bends down on one knee "Will you marry me?" He presents her a beautiful diamond ring. Abby is astounded. She truly doesn't know what to answer, she is awfully afraid of commitment, it has never been her thing, but maybe with John it would be different.

"I guess we can give it a try." Wiping a tear from her eye she chuckles a laugh "yes…"

John slides the ring on her finger and kisses her before opening the limo door for her to take her on a magical evening of romance a la Carter.

(p.s. I REALLY want to thank people who review -- I REALLY appreciate it! And i know i went far in this one -- but im hoping you all like it...)  



	17. Weaver Knows all

**Chapter Seventeen **

"Can you believe this day begun an hour ago, and already it's horrible!" Dr Parker begins to complain to Jerry as she walks into work. Just as she's about to finish telling him her frustrating car trouble story, Kerry walks in. She yells over the desk in a very firm tone to Audrey to meet her in her office twenty minutes later. Audrey nods, waits for her to step into the elevator, slams a chart on the admin desk and mumbles to Jerry

'great, now the day can't get worse' Jerry suddenly gives Audrey a worried look  
"You junk jinxed it, be careful!" Audrey laughs off Jerry comment she always found him to be over superstitious.

"Dr Weaver you wanted to see me?"  
"Sit." Kerry seems slightly annoyed, never a good sign. Audrey approaches the long dark desk only to notice Ray is also sitting in the office, this can definitely not be good. Does weaver know for ray and me? Is this about the peds elective? Audrey's mind was running a million questions as she sat down awaiting the worse. Ray also seems quite nervous.

Kerry pulls out Ray's application forms for the peds position

"Dr Parker, I though you would like to assist me in selecting your R2 for next September…" So much pressure has been lifted, this is about the job. Ray and Audrey look so relieved, not that they are afraid of admitting their relationship; they just don't want people to know yet. The three talk for a little while, deciding on the conditions of the residency and everything works out. Audrey and Ray are about to walk about the office as Weaver tells them one last thing;

"And about your 'private' life, please make sure you keep it quiet in the ER I do not want an intern and attending dating mess" Ray and Audrey look at each other shockingly, How did she know!

Audrey stood in the elevator thinking _'now I really don't see how the day can get worse…' _

The day was really about the get quite worse for her, she just didn't know it yet.


End file.
